


My Home And My Adventure

by ohmywanderingsoul



Category: The Bold Type
Genre: F/F, OT3, cheesy cute gift fic, kadena in love, welcome back date, you don't know you the way i do
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-26
Updated: 2017-10-26
Packaged: 2019-01-23 16:32:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,039
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12511584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ohmywanderingsoul/pseuds/ohmywanderingsoul
Summary: Adena's visa has finally been approved, and after a few days to themselves, Kat has a surprise evening planned for them wherein she gives Adena a special gift. Appearances from Jane and Sutton who help throw things together and fangirl from afar.





	My Home And My Adventure

**Author's Note:**

> This entire fic started with nothing more than the prompt: "You don't know you the way I do." Somehow, it just snowballed into this monstrosity. Thank you to the Tumblr anon who requested it. Haha
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

That’s it. In just two days, the wait would be over, and they’d finally be reunited. Kat was over the moon, imagining what it would be like to have Adena there in person instead of through a screen. But her plans have yet to pull through, and she only had a week left to make it happen. Turned out, the man by the water only played throughout the summer.

“Are you sure you haven’t heard anything about the violinist? Doesn’t he have a day job or something? Maybe there’s a restaurant he goes to a lot?”

Kat had her phone between her ear and her shoulder as she stood in front of the mirror. White flowing blouse or the green dress?

“Babe, I’m just telling you what Jane told me.” There was a pause, then Kat heard a far-away Sutton say, “No, no. Jane, come back here! Why don’t you tell her that?”

Some ruffling, a thud, and an “Ow, okay fine! Just put it on speaker,” before Jane’s voice came through the phone more clearly.

She rolled her eyes and started buttoning up her white blouse. She liked the way it billowed loosely underneath her blue blazer.

“Hey Kat, I’m really sorry, but I’ve gone through all the connections I have, and no one’s heard anything. I thought I might have found something last weekend with that man by Columbus Circle, but it turned out to be a homeless guy with a three-stringed cello.”

“Don’t cellos usually have four strings?” Sutton asked.

“Yeah! But that was kind of his thing. He plays some pretty cool stuff with just three strings, and the crowd he got? It was huge when I got there. I even recorded some of it!”

“Guys, seriously?” Kat huffed, pulling her high-waisted pleated pants out of the closet.

“Right! Sorry, sorry. Totally not important right now. Anyway. Yes. So. It was a cello guy. Not your guy. I’m sorry Kat, but that’s all I got.”

She sighed on her way back to the mirror _._

“I’m so sorry, babe,” Sutton added.

“Yeah, me too.” Smiling weakly to herself, she silently appreciated the genuine sympathy in their voices. “Thanks anyway. I’ll see you guys at work, okay?”

“We’ll figure it out, Kat!” Jane encouraged. “You still have time! We’ll figure it out together. We love you, ‘kay?”

“Yeah, we love you!”

“Love you guys, too.”

Kat hung up and tossed her phone onto the bed. After she pulled on her blazer, she eyed her white blouse and the deep blue pantsuit in the mirror. All she needed was the violinist, and her Welcome Back dinner for Adena would be perfect.

\- - - 

After nearly half an hour of wandering the streets, talking and enjoying the evening air, Adena steered them to a stop.

“Okay, so are you going to tell me where you're taking me?” Adena inclined her head towards her, the street lamps over her blue and white hijab casting shadows across her face.

“What do you mean? I thought we were just... walking?”

She tried for nonchalant, but Adena’s teasing and skeptical smile told her she wasn’t fooling anyone. Kat groaned.

“Okay, fine. We _are_ going somewhere special but it’s supposed to be a surprise. How’d you know I even had plans? I thought I was doing pretty well with just, kind of—” Her hand waved around wildly as if to draw out the path they just walked. “—wandering.”

Adena laughed.

“Well, for one thing, we walked past that same Halal Guys cart three times already. So the path hasn’t been _that_ random.”

Glancing towards the cart in question, Kat nodded at the man working there. He obviously noticed, too.

“Okay, you have a point. Is that really all it took?”

She returned her attention to Adena and fell silent at the unexpectedly soft look she was giving her. Affectionate eyes full of something more than just flirtation and want saw right through her, captivated her, and she wasn’t even sure Adena was conscious of it. It made her want to hide and kiss her all at once.

“Kat?”

“Huh?” She swallowed past the lump in her throat and the warmth in her belly.

“I said, you just don’t know you the way I do.” Adena looked at her sweetly and with such intent. “You’re actually quite easy.”

She smirked, barely withholding a laugh, and Kat raised an eyebrow in challenge, grateful for the levity.

“Oh, you think so? After tonight, we’ll just see about that.”

Kat tugged her down the sidewalk towards the end of their evening. If Adena kept looking at her that way, both endearing and sultry, she knew she wouldn’t last much longer. She’d have to take her home sooner rather than later; her plans be damned. On the way, she shot Jane and Sutton a quick text with their ETA and hoped that she had stalled long enough.

 

 

Less than a block away from their destination, Adena laced their fingers together and gave her hand a squeeze.

“I think I know where you’re taking me,” she said just above a whisper. Kat tucked their hands into her chest, inevitably bringing her closer.

“You probably do. But still, it’s a surprise, so act surprised.” As they turned the corner, she caught a glimpse of Jane and Sutton beaming at them with excitement. “At least for them, okay?”

Adena laughed.

“Not quite what I was expecting, so yes, I am at least mildly surprised.”

“Hey guys, fancy meeting you here!” Sutton grabbed Kat by the elbow and passed her the rose and package from behind her back. Using her body to shield Adena from the exchange, Kat stuffed the box quickly into her purse and smiled at the wink Sutton sent her.

“So... Adena, we know this is Kat’s surprise date/welcome thing for you, but we’ve actually managed to get _both_ of you a surprise.”

Kat glared with suspicion.

“What are you two up to, Tiny Jane?”

Completely unfazed, her friends led them a little ways down the street with the water to their left, and the place where they first saw their violinist somewhere behind them. One of the street lights were out, giving this section of the sidewalk a somewhat eerie vibe.

“Uh, guys. Not to sound ungrateful for the totally on-brand October Halloween-type street setting here, but all I wanted was for you guys to bring a speaker and the... uh...” She paused, remembering that she still wanted to hide the rose and her gift from her girlfriend. “...the stuff. So I could play some classical violin music for Adena.”

“You wanted to play music for me?”

Adena looked at her endearingly, and it made her nervous heart pick up pace again. But before she could reply, Jane cut in quickly.

“We can actually do you one better!” She exchanged a knowing look with Sutton, then glanced to some place far off behind them. Kat and Adena almost turned around, but Sutton grabbed her hand, perhaps a little too aggressively.

“—Not yet!”

“—Ow!”

“Sorry.” She gave Kat a sheepish look and released her grip. Looking past Kat and Adena, Sutton's eyes widened with glee as it fell upon whoever or whatever was behind them. She glanced towards Jane.

“Guys, come on, what’s this about?”

“Now?” Jane motioned a thumbs up at whoever was behind them.

“Guys?”

They moved to flank Kat and Adena, totally ignoring her prompting. The couple felt entirely confused and rather nervous.

“They’re not always this excitable, are they?” Adena asked Kat in hushed tones.

“Not always, but honestly? It does kind of fit for them.”

“Okay, okay. Seems like we’re ready.” Jane looked over at Sutton. “You do the honors?”

“Presenting...” She drummed against her lap.

“The violin guy!” They shouted in unison.

Jane and Sutton threw their hands out to the sides as if they were both Houdini’s lovely assistants. And there, standing a ways behind Kat and Adena, was their violinist waving at them with his bow and fiddle in hand. He even wore his trademark plaid sports coat and tweed cap.

Kat swung around to her friends.

“How?! You said you couldn’t find him.”

“And I couldn’t.”

“But I could!” Sutton grinned.“We just wanted to get you guys out here so he could set up over there by his usual spot. Sort of near there. His name is Martin, he’s a retired Manhattan attorney who frequents the Central Park Wonderland statue with his two grandkids every other weekend. And we called him last minute so he can’t stay for very long. Now shoo! Go!”

Jane and Sutton all but kicked them in the right direction. Adena laughed and gave her gratitude and goodbyes before taking Kat’s hand.

Walking away, Kat tossed over her shoulder, “While I do appreciate your stalking skills, Sutton Brady, we’re going to have a talk about boundaries tomorrow!”

“You love me!”

Kat couldn’t help but laugh because yes, she did.

“You know, you have the sweetest friends. They love you very much.”

“They do.” She glanced back and saw matching grins on their faces. “They’re the best.”

Kat threw an arm around Adena’s shoulders and pressed her lips to the side of her head, grateful and contented.

When they neared the violinist, he gave them a slight bow as he placed the instrument to his neck and began playing. Kat mouthed the words “thank you” while Adena laced their fingers together at her shoulder, and he bowed in return. She’d really have to remember to send him a thank you note after all this.

At first, he seemed to play only for them, but as moments passed, small groups of people started to gather sporadically and he opened up his performance. Kat closed her eyes and listened as the strings sang a beautiful melody. With every note, it felt like a gathering symphony inside her. It quelled whatever nerves she had about the gift she wanted to give to Adena tonight. It bathed her in peace at the memory of the first time she was here with Adena and they listened to Martin together. With a soft smile on her lips, Kat opened her eyes and oriented herself towards Adena.

“I’m glad you’re here,” she said, in a voice uncharacteristically quiet and reserved.

“Me too.” Adena wrapped her arms firmly around Kat’s waist. “I’m glad _we_ are here. Finally.”

“Finally.”

They stayed that way, loosely wrapped in each other’s arms for a few minutes. From well beyond earshot, Jane and Sutton watched as the couple swayed in place, evidently relishing the moment with the violinist present.

“Are they actually... slow dancing?” Jane asked.

“Maybe? Sort of?” Sutton shrugged. “They aren’t exactly _moving_ anywhere, but they’re definitely swaying in time to the music.”

“As cheesy as that is, it’s also ridiculously adorable.”

“I know right, can you believe them?”

They told Kat they wouldn’t interfere; they just wanted to stay long enough to watch her give Adena her gift. The three of them discussed the what, how, and when of this evening all over the course of the past week, and they just wanted to watch it unfold. Although she never actually told them _what_ she was giving to Adena, they knew how nervous she was about it and how much it mattered to her to give it in the right way.

Minutes passed, and the swaying stopped. They watched Kat hold Adena by the waist and give what looked to be a beautiful string of heartfelt words if the look on Adena’s face was anything to go by.

“Oooh, oh! Jane, look she’s handing over the box and the rose!”

It was like watching a silent movie. They heard nothing the couple was saying, only the faintest sounds of the violin. Holding the flower in one hand, Adena used the other to release the red bow and open her gift.

“Is this a door handle?” she asked incredulously, pulling the round knob out of the box and examining it in the dim street light.

Suddenly, Kat felt like this wasn’t such a good idea. Now that Adena was actually in front of her, holding the handle in her hand, she wanted to take it back. She let go of her and fiddled nervously with the rings on her fingers.

“Yeah, it- it is. A handle. But it’s not a door handle. It’s a handle to one of my dresser drawers at home, and it’s supposed to be for you.”

Adena looked at her expectantly. Okay, so. Yeah, she was doing this. Kat just had to take a deep breath and plow through it.

“Well, so... I know I really hurt you the first time, for bailing on you out of fear. Making you think I didn’t want this, or you. But I did! I _do_. I’ll always want you. And I know you don’t blame me for not leaving on that plane with you. And I _know_ we talked about all of this when I visited you in Peru. But I wanted to just... figure a way to show you that I’m... I don’t know... that I’m _here_. In this. Totally in this and here for you. With you. With everything that we’ve been through, and despite it. I need you to know.”

Kat felt like her mouth was going dry, but she was thankful for the gentle look of encouragement she was receiving.

“And so I figured a step in the right direction is a drawer or two at my place. Space for you. God, I _know_ how cheesy and ridiculous this sounds, okay? But I just, want you in my life, you know? So I’m making space for you in whatever way I can. And I’ll continue to. Obviously, this is just a gesture and I could totally put it back on myself if you don’t want to, but it doesn’t even need to be my drawer. You could also take up closet space if you want. I mean, I’m sure you’d want to. And I found this cute tea shop a couple blocks from my place; I could get those for too for the pantry. You like the rose teas right?”

She slowed down to a stop and took a deep breath.

“And I- I just... uh, yeah. I just want you in my life, Adena. I just want you. And I want you... happy.”

She had rehearsed this speech so many times throughout the week, but it just ended in a long, rambling mess. It didn’t help that she was met with silence and a fairly neutral facial expression in the end. To give herself a distraction, she glanced down at her feet and tucked an errant curl of hair behind her ear, but the silence was killing her. She rushed to try and save her ass.

“Yeah,” she huffed. “I know. It was a stupid idea. It honestly just sounded a lot better in my head. I’ll just—”

Kat moved to take the box out of Adena’s hand, but she gripped it tightly.

“No—”

“No?”

“I mean no, it's _not_ a stupid idea. I think it’s very sweet.”

“Oh.” Kat sighed in relief and soaked in the beautiful, sincere, encouraging smile Adena offered her. “You really think so?”

“I really do think so. It’s a beautiful gift, Kat. I love it. Thank you for making space for me and opening up your life to me.” She kissed her softly, chastely. Raising her hand to Kat’s cheek, she said, “But you know, you really don't have to make such a gesture of it all. I never doubted you.”

Kat bit her lip and looked away, unable to contain her emotions or stand the ones reflected back at her in Adena’s gaze. Instead, she returned their attention to the violinist still playing for the small crowd he’d managed to gather at 9 pm on a Saturday evening. The music around them continued to pulse through her with the same peace it offered her earlier, and she gave Martin a smile of gratitude. She glanced over to where she knew Jane and Sutton had been standing watch a few minutes ago, but they weren’t there anymore. She’d have to remember to thank them properly as well.

Beside her, she felt Adena release a sigh.

“You okay, babe?” The pet name slipped out of her before she could stop it, but she found that she didn’t actually mind it. It surprised her more to find how much she _liked_ the way it rolled off her tongue. Adena’s eyes raked over Kat’s face, from her mouth to her eyes and back.

“I’m more than okay. I’m... happy.”

“I’m glad.”

Adena kissed her as deeply as public decency would allow and laced their fingers together. She pulled away with a grin and looked up at her behind teasing, flirtatious lashes.

“Care to take me home, Kat Edison?”

“I thought you’d never ask, Adena El-Amin.”

Before walking them back to her place, Kat dropped a $50 bill and a note into Martin’s open violin case thanking him and asking him to give her a call. He bowed his gratitude, and they walked away hand-in-hand. Adena laid her head on her shoulder, and Kat placed a kiss on her head, over her hijab. She beamed silently when she noticed Adena take a whiff of the rose. It felt so natural, all of this. It felt like joy.

“Should I get us a Lyft, or do you wanna take the subway?”

Adena lifted her head towards her.

“Let’s take the subway. Maybe we’ll happen upon more musicians along the way.”

“Of course you would.” Kat laughed and shook her head. “Hey that reminds me, Jane told me about this great street cellist. I dunno if he’d be around tonight, but are you down for an adventure?”

“With you? Always.”

Kat’s smile stretched into a toothy grin.

“Alright, come on, then!”

 

 

Later that night at Kat's place, Adena takes down her hair and places her headscarf in her drawer. With every toss and turn, with every touch, with every kiss and every look, their hearts make safe places of one another. There's no doubt.

Together, they make an adventure. Together, they make home.

**Author's Note:**

> Catch me on Tumblr as ohmywanderingsoul. I take prompts for thought pieces and Kadena fic.
> 
> Any and all constructive criticisms or comments are always welcome!


End file.
